Our Own Kind of Family
by justanoutlaw
Summary: Snow's still pregnant when the curse is set, leading to her becoming August's mother. She raises both he and Emma for nearly a decade until they get a clue that could lead them home.
1. Chapter 1

The curse was fast approaching and they knew any moment, Regina or her knights would be appearing. Snow kept a hand on her swollen baby bump as David rushed her through to the nursery. The nursery where their daughter would never sleep in, all of those dreams…gone.

"You'll get to do those things with her," David assured her, as if he could read her mind. "Just not here."

"This isn't fair." Snow clutched his shirt, tears spilling down her face. "I can't do this without you. Emma needs her father."

"She needs a mother more."

"That's not true."

"This isn't the end. Look at it this way, Rumpelstiltskin said that Emma would break the curse when she's 28. Since she's with you, you can find us and do it sooner." He caressed her cheek. "True love's kiss can break any curse and our daughter is the savior. She'll be able to."

She let out a shaky breath. "I love you, so much."

"I love you more. Now, this kiss has to last us awhile."

He cupped her cheek and kissed her, her deepening it. When they pulled apart, her handed her a large satchel, which had everything Blue said she would need for the new world: jewelry and gold she could sell until she got a job, some clothes for Emma and finally, the baby blanket that Granny had knitted for Emma. He crouched down and kissed Snow's stomach.

"I love you, Emma," he whispered. "And I will see you someday."

One last stolen kiss and Snow opened the door to the wardrobe. Drawing a deep breath, she stepped inside and stared into David's teary blue eyes. She hoped he was right, that it wouldn't really take them 28 years to find each other again. Their hands parted and he slowly closed the door on her. There was a bright light and a moment later, she found herself in the middle of the woods.

For a moment, she wondered if it had really worked. Then she heard the faint sound of whooshing and realized that there were some strange, small carriages zooming by. They were in a new land. She slowly rubbed her stomach.

"It's okay, baby girl," she whispered. "We're safe."

"Snow?"

She jumped and turned around to find Pinocchio standing there. Her eyes widened as she looked around, trying to spot Geppetto or Jiminy, maybe even Blue.

"Pinocchio, what are you doing here?"

"Papa put me through the wardrobe before you and Prince David came in. He told me that you would look after me."

Dread filled Snow as she stared at the little boy in front of her. The wardrobe didn't take one, this whole time, it had taken two. She looked over at the tree she had come out of, a pain filling her chest. David was trapped wherever Regina's curse was taking them, but he didn't have to be. If Blue and Geppetto had told the truth…he'd be with her. Emma would have her father.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to find a way to wherever they all were to kill Blue and Geppetto. She had trusted them, she had no reason not to. They had lied and they had ruined her life, perhaps far more than Regina ever could.

Yet, when she looked back at Pinocchio, she saw the innocence in his eyes. He was just a child, an innocent bystander in it all. It wasn't his fault that his father had lied. He looked just as scared as she felt. There was no way that she could hold what his father did over him. He was an orphan, just like her. Just like Emma would've been if she had gone into labor early. No, she would take care of this little boy and raise him as her own. He would be her son and nothing would change that.

Slowly, Snow took his hand. "It's going to be okay, Pinocchio, we'll figure something out, I promise."

"I'm scared," he whispered.

"I know, I am too. But we're together, nothing will ever hurt you, I promise."

Snow knew that in this land, they'd stick out like a sore thumb, so she did her best to fix their outfits so they wouldn't too bad. They eventually came across a roadside snack stand where she came up with a quick story. She told the owner that her name was Mary Margaret (two of the names she had once told Red were own) and that Pinocchio was her son, August (improvising by looking at a note on the counter). She said they had escaped a terrible situation and that she needed a job. The owner took pity on them, offering Snow a job, saying she could start that Monday.

She happened upon a pawn shop and got as much money as she could for the jewelry. She was taken advantage of, that much was certain, but she got the money nonetheless and it'd tide her over until she got her first check. They spent their first night in the strange land in a shelter, but soon got a small apartment. Snow found out that they were in a place called Boston, a very busy land.

Her new boss gave her and August some old hand me down of her grandkids, which further helped their ability to blend in. A month later, Mary Margaret went into labor, giving birth to a beautiful baby girl.

"Emma," she whispered the moment she was placed on her chest. "Emma Ruth Blanchard."

She had chosen Emma long ago, even back before she was pregnant. As soon as the necklace had worked and she realized that one day, she would be a mother. Her world would feel complete, whole, which was exactly what the name Emma meant. Ruth had been an obvious middle name. Not only was she the mother that David had adored, but without her, there would be no Emma in the first place.

Motherhood of two, especially to a newborn, wasn't easy. She split her time between both evenly, but often felt overwhelmed. She wondered if maybe David would've been a better choice, if he could've handled things better. The first year of Emma's life was spent in constant fear that she was doing things wrong, yet whenever Emma would smile up at her or August called her the best mom in the world…she knew she had to be doing something right.

By the time August was going off to junior high, Snow had moved up the ranks at the snack stand and took over when her boss retired. It wasn't the life of a princess, but she was able to provide for her children and that's what was important.

One night she came home to find a 13-year-old August doing his homework on the couch. She threw her purse up and kissed the top of his head.

"Emma asleep?"

"Yeah, I helped her with her homework too."

"You're such a great kid." She dropped down beside him and kicked off her shoes. "Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd have your husband here," he mumbled.

Snow frowned. "Where'd that come from?"

"We have to do a family tree report for school and the teacher pretty much said in front of everyone that it was okay if I only filled out your side, since I don't have a dad."

"Oh Auggie…"

"It's fine. I…I'm sort of happy without my dad. I don't know how much he could really care about me, he sent me off alone."

Snow didn't know what to say at first. She had a lot of negative feelings towards Geppetto, but she acknowledged that he was her son's biological father nonetheless. She never spoke harshly about him and told August what she knew, which honestly wasn't that much.

"He loves you," she said, finally.

"Maybe he loved me, but he didn't care about me…not like you do."

"August…"

"Do you hate me?" He asked, suddenly. "Because I came through with you instead of David?"

"Oh, no. Listen." Snow put an arm around him and pulled him closer. At only 13, he was already dangerously close to her height. "I may not be happy with your father, more than anything I wish that David could be with Emma and I. But I don't regret you, not for a minute. None of this is your fault. And as much as I wish David could be here, I wouldn't trade being your mom for the world."

"Really?"

"Really. You're my son, no matter what anyone says."

"Okay." He paused for a moment. "If we found them…before I was older…would I be able to stay with you?"

"Let them try to take you away from me."

It was another three years before they got any sort of hint of where the family could be. A young boy named Owen had gone to live with his uncle nearby and spoke of a town where magic existed. It's name was Storybrooke, Maine. He talked about the mayor, Regina Mills, who had arrested his father for no reason. No one believed him that there was a such a place where the mayor was controlling the sheriff with his heart…no one except Snow and August.

"You really think my daddy's there?" Emma asked from the backseat as they headed down the route that Owen had described.

"We think so," Snow said.

She had been hesitant to get Emma's hopes up, but after 9 years of telling her daughter stories about her father, she knew she had a right to know. She also knew that if this wasn't true, she was reaching the end of her time of Emma believing the story. After all, how many teenagers really believed that their father was Prince Charming? Or that their brother had once been Pinocchio? Emma was 9, as she loved to point out to her mother, she wasn't a baby anymore.

(God, it hurt Snow's heart to realize just how much David had missed out on. All the first steps, first words. Emma was a little spitfire. She had her mother's eyes and chin, but her father's smile and tact.)

Four hours later, Snow didn't see the sign for Storybrooke, but August and Emma did, so she followed their directions. Soon, they were inside a quaint town, that almost seemed as if it hadn't aged since the mid-80s. They asked around for a David, but no one seemed to know who they were talking about, despite August and Snow recognizing almost everyone there…Regina included. However, there wasn't much that the former Evil Queen could do about the situation, not without scaring everyone else.

Snow got a job at Granny's while enrolling Emma and August at the school. They stayed at the inn, while trying to figure out what to do. Deep in Snow's heart, she feared the worst. What if Regina's guards had killed David before the curse set? August tried to give both his mother and sister hope, but it wasn't easy.

Then one day, Rumpelstiltskin (or Gold as he was known in Storybrooke) recommended that she start volunteering at the hospital. She found it weird at first…until she reached the coma ward.

There he was, asleep for the past 9 years. He hadn't aged a day, just like everyone else in town. She tried to do true love's kiss, but it didn't work. She was ready to give up and accept that maybe the curse couldn't be broken for another 19 years, until August reminded her of something: Emma was the savior. It was up to her to save the curse.

Snow lead her kids through the hall, pausing when Emma did in the doorway.

"That's my daddy?" She whispered.

Snow nodded. "That's right, baby girl. And I think a kiss from you is all he needs to wake up."

Emma slowly made her way into the room, climbing up onto the bed. She put a hand on his cheek, smiling a little.

"Hi, Daddy," she whispered before kissing the center of his forehead.

A rainbow forcefield took over the room. August watched as it took over Snow, taking away the subtle aging that the 9 years had brought on. It hadn't been much, but she suddenly looked near identical to how she did when they came through the wardrobe, just different clothing.

Emma watched as baby blue eyes flickered open, meeting her own emerald green. He blinked for a moment before grinning and placing a hand on her cheek.

"Emma," he whispered.

"You know me?"

"I'd know my baby girl anywhere."

He held her closer in his arms, cradling the back of her head. For what seemed like forever, he held her in his arms and she allowed him, not wanting to let go. Eventually, his eyes traveled up and he saw his beautiful wife. Gently placing Emma down, he unhooked all of the wires and strode over to her, not even paying attention to the hospital gown he was wearing.

"You found me," he said, softly.

"Did you ever doubt I would?"

"The coma gave me pause," he teased.

He pulled her into his arms, kissing her. They were reunited and nothing would ever feel sweeter.

The next few days were spent helping people reunite with everyone else and figuring out how to best handle Regina. When she helped them get rid of the demon that had been brought by bringing magic back, they worked on a treaty. She could keep running the town, if she promised to leave everyone else alone.

Emma was getting to know her father, ready to make up on all the lost time. David barely wanted to let the family out of his sight, August included. They were still staying at Granny's inn until they could find a suitable house for all of them.

It was one week before Geppetto came knocking on their door.

They were having a movie night, munching on popcorn and pizza when it happened. Snow opened it and found him on the other side. Without him even saying a word, she punched him in the face. He quickly held it, rubbing the areas that surely were going to bruise. Snow shook out her hand, having a feeling that it'd be doing the same.

"I suppose I deserve that."

"You lied to me," she said, her voice low with anger. "You lied to me and my husband. Because of you, he missed out on 9 years of her life, of our lives. There are so many moments he can't get back and that's on you!"

"I didn't know what the curse would do, where we would end up…if Pinocchio would still be a boy or a puppet again…"

"You should've talked to us. We could've helped you understand. Instead you lied, you sent your son away."

"Just let me see him."

"Mom, what's going on…" August came up behind her and paused. "Papa."

Tears clouded his eyes and it seemed as if he forgot the pain that he was in. "Pinocchio…you're so…"

"Grown up." He bit his lip. "What are you doing here?"

"I just found out that you were in town. I didn't know…"

"You didn't know what? If Snow would take responsibility for me?"

"Well…yes."

"She did, because she's a good person. She was there for me, through all of it. Unlike you."

"Son, I was doing what I thought was best…"

"You separated a family, two actually. We were one, or did that not matter?"

Geppetto bit his lip. "I didn't know what would happen to you."

"Even if I was turned back into a puppet, Emma was due to come back and break the curse. Which could've happened a hell of a lot faster if she had both of her parents."

"Please, just come home."

"Home?" August scoffed. "My home is here, until Mom and David find a new one for us."

"I'm your father."

"That may be, but 9 years ago, you made a choice to give me up. Now, I'm making my own. I'm staying here with my family."

"You…you can't do that."

"Actually, he can," Snow cut in. "I adopted him legally when we came here. He's my son and I always said if he wanted to know you, it'd be up to him. Clearly, he doesn't."

"Auggie!" Emma called from in the room. "Daddy wants to watch Grease, you have to vote no!"

"That's my cue."

With that, he headed back into the room. A frown fell across Geppetto's face.

"Give him time," Snow said, softly.

"You turned him against me."

"I would never. He's been mad at you for years and it's not going to change in a few minutes time. If you really love him, you'll give him time."

Geppetto glared at her and stormed away. She let out a sigh, running her fingers through her hair. She wished she could feel bad, but he had brought the situation on himself.


	2. Chapter 2

August never had a dad. Sure, he had Geppetto those few months after he was turned into a real boy, but they had never really formed much of a bond. Growing up, he was raised by a single mother and he had a younger sister. Snow had tried to get male role models in his life, but he didn't really feel like he needed any.

Until David came along.

He treated August like his son, just as he treated Emma as his daughter. It was if he didn't even have to think about it. Once he knew that Snow had adopted him, it was as if he was already his son. He taught him how to shave and was even promising to teach him how to drive a car when the time came. (Regina had given him the same basic knowledge of the world that everyone had, to make it easier.) It was a little overwhelming, to have this man that he barely knew treat him like a son.

Geppetto had barely spoken to him since the showdown at the inn. A part of him was grateful, but the other part of him wished that his father would actually fight for him, fight for a relationship. Then he found out that Geppetto was working with the Blue Fairy to get another child, a son he could raise from the beginning.

It hurt, more than August could ever express. And when Snow found out she was pregnant again, with a boy this time, he feared the same would happen. David would have a son, a biological one. August would be pushed to the side as if he had never been a part of the family.

When Neal was born, though, nothing changed. Sure, there was a lot of crying and everyone was tired, but David treated him the same. When August got his learner's permit, David took him out on the road. Every day when he came home from school, it was like being a part of a family.

One night, after Neal and Emma had gone to bed, David slid next to August on the couch. "So, you wanna watch a movie? Your mom passed out."

"Yeah, sure."

"What should we watch?"

August shrugged. "Whatever you want." He watched as David started going through everything. "So, um…I have a question."

"I have an answer."

"Why are you still being so good to me? Why were you ever? I mean, I'm the reason why you couldn't watch Emma grow up those first 9 years. You were separated from your wife, you lost so much time…"

"Okay, first of all, that was never your fault," David said. "Geppetto and Blue made that choice for you. And I would never blame you for that, ever."

"You're mad at Geppetto for it, though."

David paused, thinking about what August said. The truth was, his feelings over the situation were so complicated and he didn't want to hurt the boy.

"I'm mad at him for lying. The truth is though, if he had come to us and explained the situation…I would've given my spot up in a heartbeat."

"Why?"

"Because you were a child, you still are. You deserved to be protected and have a parent keep you safe during all of this. I would've wanted Snow to be the one to care for you."

August frowned. "But I'm not even yours."

"Maybe not, but you're a child. You deserve to be safe, to have a good life. I didn't have much growing up, but I had my mother. I had security. I want that for all children."

"Wow."

"I love you, August. This past year, I've gotten to know you very well and I see how much my wife cares for you as her son. Truth be told, I was taken off guard when I found out what happened, but I knew one thing in that moment. As soon as the curse broke, I had two children. You may not be my son by blood, but you're my son in all the ways it counts. Which is why…"

He got up and left the room, returning a moment later. He settled on the couch and passed him some paperwork.

"We've been working on changing all of our last names, Regina found a way so we can have official documents here without the government knowing. After all, Storybrooke is a secret. Snow, Emma, Neal and I are taking back my proper last name: Charming. And I know you've been a Blanchard your whole life, but you're a part of our family now…and it'd mean a lot if you'd let me adopt you."

Tears gathered up in August's eyes. "You want to adopt me?"

"Of course I do. You're my son. What do you say?"

"Yes, yes. Of course. I want us to be a family."

"We already are."

August put his head on David's shoulder. "Thanks…Dad."

David grinned, tears sprinkling in his eyes. "No problem, Auggie."


End file.
